Citric Acid in Grocery Products
Citric Acid is an MRT 176 panel substance found in 7,950 of the 20,682 products in our database. Here's every product we've analyzed that contains it.
7,950
Products Found
38.4%
Of All Products
210
Low Risk (0-2)
6,654
High Risk (5+)
Risk Distribution
How products containing Citric Acid break down by total trigger count:
210
2.6%
Low Risk (0-2 triggers)
1,086
13.7%
Moderate (3-4 triggers)
6,654
83.7%
High Risk (5+ triggers)
Citric acid is one of 27 chemical additives tested on the MRT 176 panel, and it is by far the most prevalent. We found it in 38% of all grocery products in our database — that’s nearly 8,000 items.
While citric acid occurs naturally in citrus fruits, the citric acid used in food manufacturing is almost exclusively produced through Aspergillus niger fermentation of corn sugar. This means manufactured citric acid may trigger reactions in people sensitive to corn as well as those sensitive to citric acid itself.
Citric acid is used as a preservative, pH adjuster, and flavor enhancer. It appears in beverages, canned goods, condiments, snacks, and even some fresh-cut produce. If citric acid is on your Red list, finding packaged food without it is one of the biggest challenges of the LEAP protocol.
Related Reading
- What Does “Natural Flavors” Actually Mean? — Citric acid is often hidden inside “natural flavors”
- Products with the fewest MRT triggers overall
All Products Containing Citric Acid — Page 190 of 318
| Product | Triggers | LEAP Phase |
|---|---|---|
|
Campbell Soup Company — Plum Functional Baby Baby Food
Apple, Banana, Citric Acid, Blueberry, Sunflower, Cinnamon, Lemon
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Del Monte, Pasta Sauce, Tomato & Basil
Tomato, Fructose, Corn, Onion, Soybean, Carrot, Basil, Citric Acid, Garlic, Yeast (Baker's)
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Barilla America, Inc. — Barilla, Pasta Sauce, Tomato & Basil
Tomato, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Onion, Olive, Basil
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Coca-Cola USA Operations — INCA KOLA, THE GOLDEN KOLA
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Caffeine, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Welch's, Soda Flavored Freeze Pops, Strawberry Grape
Fructose, Corn, Citric Acid, Benzoic Acid, Grape, FD&C Red #40, FD&C Blue #1, Strawberry
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Clif Bar and Company — GINGER ALE ENERGY CHEWS, GINGER ALE
Tapioca, Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, Ginger, Sunflower
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Fresh Produce N.a., Inc. — Stir Fry Blend
Broccoli, Carrot, Cabbage, Green Pea, Corn, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands, Inc. — SPICY RED PEPPER DICED TOMATOES, SPICY RED PEPPER
Tomato, Garlic, Onion, Citric Acid, Cane Sugar, Chili Pepper
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Swedish Fish Soft Candy Berry Fat Free8x3.5 Lb
Cane Sugar, Corn, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Campbell Soup Company — Prego Sauces Tomato Sausage Garlic
Tomato, Pork, Garlic, Onion, Cane Sugar, Canola/Rapeseed, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
The Dannon Company, Inc. — Traditional Greek Yogurt
Cow's Milk, Yogurt, Strawberry, Cane Sugar, Fructose, Corn, Carrageenan, Carrot, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Hormel Foods Corporation — Salsa
Tomato, Citric Acid, Chili Pepper, Onion, Garlic, Benzoic Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Del Monte Foods Inc. — Delmonte Garden Quality, Fruit Burst, Natural Fruit & Veggie Purees & Juices, Mango
Pear, Pumpkin, Peach, Carrot, Mango, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mccormick & Company, Inc. — Seasoning Salt
Black Pepper, Citric Acid, Onion, Cane Sugar, Garlic, Celery, Lemon, FD&C Yellow #5
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Monster Energy Company — Peace Tea, Viva Mango, Juice Drink, Mango
Cane Sugar, Mango, Apple, Orange, Citric Acid, Pineapple, Fructose
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods Company — Dole, Mixed Fruit Juice
Pineapple, Peach, Pear, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Essentials Aloe Vera Juice Drink
Cane Sugar, Mango, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Oscar Mayer Foods Corp. — Oven Roasted White Turkey
Turkey, Corn, Cane Sugar, Benzoic Acid, Lemon, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Ocean Spray Cranberries, Inc. — CRANBERRY, CHERRY AND ORANGE FLAVORED JUICE BEVERAGE WITH 2 OTHER JUICES FROM CONCENTRATE, CRANBERRY CHERRY ORANGE
Cranberry, Cherry, Orange, Apple, Grape, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Dole Packaged Foods, Llc — Mango, Banana, Apple, Pineapple and Spinach Fruit 'n Greens, Mango, Banana, Apple, Pineapple and Spinach
Apple, Banana, Citric Acid, Mango, Pineapple, Spinach
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Starbucks Coffee Company — Mocha Sauce, Mocha
Cane Sugar, Corn, Cocoa, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Organic Peppermint Ice Cream Dipped in Organic Dark Chocolate Bars, Pink Peppermint
Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Cocoa, Lecithin (Soy), Soybean, Vanilla, Coumarin/Vanillin, Tapioca, Beet, Citric Acid, Egg Yolk, Mint/Menthol
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Conagra Brands — Odoms Tennessee Pride Mild Sausage Patties, 24 Oz
Pork, Cane Sugar, MSG, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Whole Foods Market, Inc. — Strawberry Ice Cream, Strawberry
Cow's Milk, Cane Sugar, Strawberry, Citric Acid
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
|
Mondelez Int. Us (0074819091009) — Swedish Fish Soft Candy Eggs Fat Freeeaster12x3.1 Oz
Cane Sugar, Corn, Fructose, Citric Acid, FD&C Red #40, Blue #1, FD&C Yellow #5, FD&C Yellow #6
|
6 | Phase 3 — Practitioner Guided |
Search Any Product
Check any grocery product against the full MRT 176 panel — not just Citric Acid.
Open the Food Checker